Farming’s top man is coming to the county show to meet farmers

Heather Jan Brunt

Meurig Raymond, president of the National Farmers Union, will spend the day at the show on Weedon Park just outside Aylesbury.

This is the first time for many decades that an NFU president has visited the county show.

Mr Raymond, who farms 3,400 acres in Pembrokeshire in partnership with his brother, son and nephew, became president last year.

As part of his job he regularly meets with cabinet ministers, prime minister David Cameron and officials in Brussels to fight for a better deal for British farmers.

And as one of those farmers himself - Mr Raymond and his family grow combinable crops and potatoes and have 620 dairy cows, 600 head of beef cattle and around 2,500 store lambs - he understands the needs of British farmers.

During his visit to the show on Thursday August 27 Mr Raymond will hold two forums on the NFU stand and meet as many farmers as possible.

Mark Wheeler, group secretary of Aylesbury NFU, said: “I am very excited about him coming. With everything that is going on in UK agriculture at the moment we are very fortunate to have his presence, to enable him to hear local farmers’ concerns.

“It will be a very direct way of allowing farmers to feed their concerns through him to London and Brussels.

“There are so many concerns at the minute. Lamb prices are down, milk prices are down. So much of this relates to what is going on in world markets.

“I know Mr Raymond is very keen to get out and about into the show ground and see as much of the show as possible, as well as meeting as many farmers as possible.”

The NFU stand will have glass fronted fridges at the entrance to the marquee, one filled with foreign foods and one filled with Red Tractor branded British food.

Next to the fridges will be tokens to enable visitors to vote for what they would rather buy, and the hope is that most people will want to support British food and British farmers.

Bucks County Show spokesman Ray Stollery said: “The show committee is delighted that Meurig Raymond is to attend the show. The NFU has always had a strong presence at the show, but this is the first time for very many years that the president has attended.

“His schedule at the show has yet to be finalised but we hope he may be able to present a cup for a livestock class in the main ring.”

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